


Life Turning Upside Down.

by MedHeadsUnite



Series: Life Turning Upside Down [1]
Category: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD
Genre: An Emotional Goodbye, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:00:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21624943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedHeadsUnite/pseuds/MedHeadsUnite
Summary: She'd disappeared. No one knew why. Not even Maggie. But the day that Natalie returns, standing outside the doors of the Med ED, with her badge in hand and her hand over her heart, one person knows without words.And he feels his heart breaking for her all over again, he didn't even have to be told.
Relationships: Will Halstead/Natalie Manning
Series: Life Turning Upside Down [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604809
Kudos: 7





	1. My Heart Lead Me Home.

Her house was being rented out to Clarke, who was returning to Med. His fiancee was there too, and coincidentally enough, as a result, Goodwin had come across her replacement.

Natalie never expected to hear her mother so broken. But three weeks earlier, Carol had called her daughter with the worst news ever. So, knowing her mother had room for them, Owen was now there.

Helen had surprised them by breaking her lease, packing up her things, and going with them. Owen was with her, and Natalie was at her parent's place.

But her heart was in Chicago, so one night, she packed a overnight bag, the accessories for her phone, clothes for the weekend, and a jacket, and slid her Med badge around her neck.

She had to say goodbye.


	2. Is It Really Goodbye?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One look, one look at those shattered eyes, and Natalie lost it.

She arrives just as the shift is changing. But she asks her Lyft driver to wait. 

And then, with nerves of sharpened steel, Natalie steps out.

And it's Maggie's stunned gasp that she hears first, Sharon's eyes looking up at the sound.

"Hey," the older woman smiles, "All right everyone, hey Huddle up!"

Cherie nodded, standing beside Natalie with Jeff at her left.

Will meets her eyes, and there are no words needed.

Natalie can feel her throat constricting as she looks into his eyes, and she nearly loses her composure. Somehow though, she maintains it.

She can feel his heart breaking for her as she begins to talk, "My family has suffered a tremendous loss. I am in the middle of a lengthy sabbatical, still trying to find work at a clinic, but I'm not rushing into anything. Helen has joined us in Seattle, and the move is permanent. I am in town for the weekend, and I look forward to spending time with you."

Will moves to talk to Marcel, Lanik and Ethan, who nod.

"Natalie," he whispers.  
"Come here," she motions to the on call.

"What-- I thought we were making progress," he whispered.

"I don't want to end this," she whispers back. 

"Neither do I, I just," he's cut off by a searing kiss, that says everything Natalie wanted to say without the usage of words.

"Damn," he whispers, laughing softly.

"Hmm!" she smirks.

"Stay with me tonight," he whispers.

"Yeah, I'll be at my place, I rented it out."

"Yeah, Clarke told me that, a four bed though?" Will raised an intrigued brow.

"Yeah, I told them they could look for a third roommate, but I wanted to have a place for me when I come to visit, they agreed. I think Elsa's going to take the offer."

"Okay, but, I'm serious," he was cut off by another kiss.

"I'll come get you, just let me know, okay?"

"I'll send a text," he nods, kissing her deeply before heading back to work.

She disappears through the on-call, not realizing the surprise that would await her when she woke up with Will the next day.

Will stood firm in the middle of the ED, "Mission: A Fond Farewell is a go team!" he calls out.

"On it!" Dr. Marcel beams, grinning at a smirking Ethan.

Connor and Ava raise intrigued brows, "We doing this?"

"It's Natalie!" Noah, Monique, and April cry out in unison.

Connor chuckles, "I'm cashing in every favor possible."

Goodwin grins, "Me too. Let's make it happen. But for now."

"Back to work? Copy that," Lanik nods.

B-Shift was in the ED two hours earlier than normal.

A shift met up at the top floor of the parking structure, "Hey, everyone's got to step their game up, Will?"

"Herrmann and the Molly's crew already agreed, thanks for the donation by the way."

"It's Natalie, we have to pull out all the stops," Connor and Ava shrug modestly.

"We all have our tasks?" Ethan raises a brow.

"YES SIR!" Monique, Doris and Hank mock salute, drawing laughter out of the masses surrounding them.

"Seriously guys," Ethan sighed, "No pressure, but it's for Nat."

"You worry too damn much!" Ava laughs, "We got this, we promise."

"Right on," Marcel nods.

"Win on 3," Ethan grins, holding his hand out.

Surprisingly enough, everyone put one hand in, "1, 2."

"3," Will grins.

"WIN!" the group shouted gleefully, parting ways, Maggie parked next to Will.

Maggie sighs, "It's hard to believe it's been three years since this spot nearly became the spot where we lost you both."

"We're tougher cookies than even we realized. It took nearly three years for me to feel safe coming back up here, god I'm going to miss this place."

"Will--?" Maggie gasps.

"I haven't told her yet, but it's not just her goodbye, it'll turn into our re-engagement, I hope."

"Does Jay know?" Maggie raises a brow.

"Yeah of course," he smiles.

"Thank you for being you Will, I'll miss you both," Maggie choked up, "I promise to come visit."

"Hey, if all goes right, I'll be your godson's stepfather. It should've happened three years ago, but we had a lot to work through."

He looks down at his phone, "She's halfway up, you should go."

"See you tomorrow night?"

"You better be there," he points warningly.

"Scouts Honor," she grins.

She greets Nat with a loving honk as Clarke pulls his car into the spot Maggie had her car in.

"Hey you, is everything okay?" she blinks, "What was going on with Maggie?"

"We-- we just took some time to have a moment," he whispers, "We're really going to miss you."

"Will, we've made it through near-death experiences, how can we not survive long distance?" she wraps her arms around him.

"We don't have to," he whispers.

She searches his eyes, "You--"

He decides not to wait, "Let's try again beautiful. Marry me?" 

"Oh my god yes!!!" she squeals, leaping into his arms, grinning as a new ring is placed on her left ring finger.

Cherise and Clarke smile, "Congrats you two!"

Natalie laughs and Will grins.

They hop into the car, "It's finally going to happen!!"

"Thank god," he presses his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

She's got a Lyft scheduled, and grabs a small backpack she left in the fourth room, locking up, she secures her things, checking for her phone and the charger things, and meets Will outside.

He smiles widely, "Can I just introduce you to the desk clerk as my wife?"

"You teddy bear, AH! It's finally happening this time," she squeals loudly, the small pack secured and over her shoulder.

He notices a car pull up, "Did we schedule a Lyft?"

"Wait, Sylvie?" Natalie laughs.

"Well, yeah," Brett laughs, "Hop in."

"The Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile?"

"That's where we are," he confirms, nodding his head slowly.

She's taking deep breaths an hour later, her entire body on fire, "How, you--- My god," she laughs.

"Hmm," he purrs, wrapping his arms around her, "I love you."

She yawns, snuggling into him, "I love you too, more than you'll ever know."

And a few minutes later, they were both out like lights, blissful sleep claiming them.


	3. More Than A Celebration.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .. it's two. Nat and Will reveal their re-engagement.
> 
> "I couldn't wait!"

It was a day of lazing around until about seven thirty. Natalie had been invited by Stella and Maggie for drinks, and they'd allowed for Will to come.

But what Nat didn't know?

from 10, which was about the time they'd arrive, to closing, Molly's had been reserved for the going away party.

But that wasn't the only surprise.

Will had his phone in his hand, sitting in the recliner on the other side of the room, "Mmm, babe," Nat whined, "Come back."

He laughs, "I'm almost done, this is important, I'm--" he huffs, realizing he was about to give his final surprise away.

"I'm working on something for us," he finished with a smile.

"O--kay?" she shakes her head at him, a smile on her face. She really did love him.

"So, I packed casual stuff, and I'm honestly kind of glad," she laughs.

He grins, "It's more than appropriate."

They would lounge around, Will getting ready first.

Natalie would join him twenty minutes later, smiling, "Ready?"

"Yeah," he smiles, "I love you."

"I love you too," she nods, making sure the door was shut, then turning around to reach for his free hand as he called for a car.

He'd figured that they'd rarely step away from one another that night.

He'd been right.

Monique came up first.

"Hey," Natalie smiled softly, "Two things: Congratulations, and all the best."

"Mo," Natalie sighs.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys," she whispers.

Will embraces her, "We'll miss you too."

Everyone had their turn, and pretty soon, it was just a certain unit within the 21st district of the CPD that was left.

Voight laughs, "I'll tell you, I remember getting that call."

"I still can't believe that I had to pull you away from a bar fight. The first time we're both in Chicago in years, and you almost get into a damn bar fight? Really?"

Will snorts in amusement, "Hey, now it's gonna be CJ pulling me away from bar fights, but, I don't think I'm ever going to have another reason to get that smashed."

Jay points, "You were running from a relationship issue, I knew it!"

Will sighs, "At the time yeah, it also ended up being the reason I got let go."

Natalie kisses his cheek tenderly, "You have don't have to worry about things like that anymore."

"No," he looks down at her with a smile, "I don't, do I?"

"You really don't," she whispers with a bright smile.

The smiles were reaching their eyes again.

And it would be like that for the rest of their lives.


End file.
